New Critical Care Physician Lead tasked with ensuring the best care for patients and their families

NEWS

June 22, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

London, ON – Strong physician leadership is an important part of driving improvement in the health system in our communities. To further advance critical care services, Dr. Ian Ball has been named as the new Critical Care Lead for the South West LHIN.

Dr. Ball will continue work on the Life or Limb policy across the LHIN. This policy ensures that hospital capacity issues will not restrict patients at risk of loss of life or limb from being transferred to the hospital that is best suited to meet their critical care needs. He will also further work on the adoption and utilization of CritiCall, a 24-hour-a-day emergency and consultation service, to facilitate all Life or Limb patient referrals and improve access to an Intensive Care Unit physician.

Dr. Ball will also be advancing long-term mechanical ventilation initiatives including partnerships between hospitals, and community agencies like Participation House to allow patients who require mechanical ventilation for extended periods to return home, or to a community setting, and live outside of an Intensive Care Unit.

He will be providing leadership to strengthen and advance critical care through enhanced collaboration and integration of health care providers. Working alongside system partners, Dr. Ball’s role will include promoting a team approach to health care aimed at improving outcomes, experience of care and value for money within the critical care system.

Dr. Ian Ball began specializing in critical care medicine in July 2005 as a fellow at the Critical Care Trauma Centre at Victoria Hospital. In 2007, Dr. Ball completed his residency at Western University. He later joined Queen’s University faculty in 2008 with appointments to Critical Care Medicine, Emergency Medicine, and Pharmacology and Toxicology. In 2014, he returned to his home in London to embark on his current career as a Clinician-Researcher in critical care medicine.

Dr. Ball has a wealth of leadership experience including serving on the Trillium Gift of Life Network as a Regional Medical Lead for organ donation, with oversight for 17 Ontario Hospitals. He also chairs the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) Organ Donor Management Committee, and is Chair of Critical Care Western Research.

QUOTES

“My experience working in the fast-paced ICU environment, participating as the Medical Lead on the LHSC Medical Assistance in Dying Committee, as well as my leadership role with the Trillium Gift of Life Network equips me with the insight needed to take on this new role. I am looking forward to working with system partners to foster the kind of change needed to ensure critical care is delivered with the best possible outcomes, patient experience and value for money.”

- Dr. Ian Ball, South West LHIN Critical Care Lead

“Dr. Ball’s skills and expertise will be a welcome addition as we build upon key initiatives in the South West LHIN that ensure patients and their families have the highest quality of care in the critical care system. I am confident that Dr. Ball has the expertise, leadership and clinical experience for this important clinical leadership position, and we look forward to working closely with him and other system partners to foster improvements for patients and their families.”